The founder of the Eddie Stobart trucking firm was born in 1929 in Cumbria and worked as a farmer before becoming the famous face of the business which named every new truck
Famed trucking firm founder Eddie Stobart has died, his representatives confirmed this morning.
Mr Stobart, whose full name was Eddie Pears Stobart, initially set up a small agricultural firm in 1946 that carried out contract work for farms and distributed fertiliser. He also ran a farm shop, with the business becoming the family-named trucking firm later in the 1940s, with the firm’s first lorry, a second-hand Guy Invincible four-wheeler, hitting UK roads in 1960.
The truck debuted in the famous Eddie Stobart green and red colouring, with the small company possessing just eight lorries and 12 employees when it launched. Mr Stobart died on November 25 aged 95, at the head of a company that now owns and operates more than 2,500 vehicles, but he has taken a backseat in the business over the last few decades.
His youngest son Edward took over the firm in the 1970s aged just 21 while trying to make a name of his own, and was able to turn it into the haulage giant it is today. Alongside being one of the best established haulage firms in the country, Eddie Stobart is also famous for allowing drivers to name the truck to which they are assigned - a tradition started by Mr Stobart himself.
The Eddie Stobbart company is known for its distinctive red and green lorries ( Image: PA)
After founding the firm in the 1940s, Mr Stobart wanted his trucks to be known for more than their deliveries, and chose to start a tradition of naming them after women. Names like "Maggie", "Betty" and "Rosie" fascinated the general public when they hit the road, with people stopping to take pictures of the vehicles, which developed their own identities after making multiple deliveries.
Modern Eddie Stobart trucks have closer connections to their drivers, and have a much broader range of names that come from multiple countries, and may have different meanings to boot. Among the modern names that have been spotted on the roads are Finnish Tuula Karina, Welsh Angharad, and even Optimus Prime after the head Autobot in the Transformers franchise.
Eddie pictured with his son Edward, who passed away in 2011 ( Image: (c) North News & Pictures, Newca)
Some names are more statements in nature, including Saoirse Erin, an Irish name that translates to "Free Ireland". The tradition has given Eddie Stobart a cult following in the UK, with multiple fan clubs popping up online that follow the interesting naming schemes. Heartbroken members of the public who have long followed the business’ trajectory have posted touching tributes online, with many celebrating Mr Stobart’s titanic impact on British business.
One Facebook user wrote: "Another end of iconic era of British business. RIP Sir you gave thousands and thousands of ordinary folk great pleasure collecting your lovely truck names on long journeys through the years. Let’s hope the name can remain." Another social media user reacting to the news added: "Aww. Iconic brand. Love collecting truck names whenever I’m on a motorway trip. Inspirational company."
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